Siemens and Volkswagen rev up their global industrial cloud engine

Vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen has selected Siemens as its integration partner to build an industrial cloud that will connect 122 manufacturing plants across the world.

As part of the deal Siemens will ensure the efficient networking of production systems, machinery and equipment of various manufacturers at the 122 Volkswagen plants.

‘Volkswagen, suppliers and machinery producers will be able to leverage the potential of production data even more effectively’– KLAUS HELMRICH

Data transparency and analysis will lay the technological foundations for further productivity improvements at the vehicle manufacturing giant.

It is also understood that both companies intend to develop new functions and services together with machinery and equipment suppliers that can be used in future by all partners of the industrial cloud.

Digital transformation in action

“We intend to make our Volkswagen Industrial Cloud a partner network with digital functions bringing benefits to all the participating companies,” explained Oliver Blume, chair of the executive board of Porsche AG and member of the board of management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, responsible for production.

“In Siemens, we have secured a strong partner with outstanding digitalisation and industry expertise,” Blume added.

As part of the plan, Siemens and machinery and equipment suppliers will make applications and apps from the MindSphere internet of things (IoT) system available in the Volkswagen Industrial Cloud. This will include industrial edge solutions.

Through this approach, production data will be processed directly by equipment and machinery or in the production process before they are transmitted to the industrial cloud. This will allow further optimisation of complex production processes and also improve the data quality of the industrial cloud.

“For this purpose, we will network machinery, production systems and equipment more effectively using MindSphere and our automation platforms,” said Klaus Helmrich, member of the managing board of Siemens AG.

“This way, Volkswagen, suppliers and machinery producers will be able to leverage the potential of production data even more effectively. It will be possible to make production more efficient and flexible as well as further improving product quality.”